The Edmonton Oilers are going to have to fill a hole on the right wing this off-season. With Nail Yakupov almost certain to be traded, Edmonton needs another functional body at that position. Leon Draisaitl is a candidate to move over from center, but Edmonton likely needs more than that.
Peter Chiarelli is looking for bigger bodies and heavier players, so perhaps a two birds with one stone move is in order here. Troy Brouwer, currently lighting up the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the St. Louis Blues, is a perfect candidate.
Why Is He Out There?:
The Blues, regardless of what happens this postseason, will have some decisions to make this summer. The team is likely to re-sign captain David Backes, and that will cost them at least $4,500,000 annually. St. Louis also has Jaden Schwartz to re-sign this summer, as he is a pending RFA.
In the summer of 2017, Alex Steen and Kevin Shattenkirk will both be looking for new contracts, which could crush the Blues in terms of their salary cap. Re-signing a player like Brouwer, who is solid but older, may not be in the cards for an organization that rarely spends to the cap.
What Does He Do Well?:
At 6’3” and 213 pounds, Troy Brouwer brings size and physical play. The forward is known as a player who will throw his weight around and who can dish out “punishing” hits. In addition to being physical, Brouwer uses his size to be an effective net front presence. If you watch the Blues in the playoffs, you’ll see this first hand.
Offensively, Brouwer’s numbers don’t jump off the page and scream impact player. That said, he posts point totals that suggest he is a very strong offensive compliment. This season, Brouwer registered 18-21-39 in 82 games. In 2014-15 and 2013-14, Brouwer registered 43 points. He’s a consistent producer, you know you are getting around 40 points a year.
His shot is decent, but he does a lot of his damage in front of the net and scoring the greasy goals. Edmonton doesn’t have enough players who can do that and have enough skill to be a threat elsewhere. Brouwer would be unique in Edmonton in that respect.
Defensively, Brouwer is described as being “solid” and the word “smart” is used a lot with him. I’d describe him as a decent defensive player.
Last notes: He is very durable, and can play with skill. He’d be a good fit with the Oilers.
Where Will He Play / Where Should He Play?:
If Edmonton signed Troy Brouwer, he would slide into the team’s top-six and play on the second line behind Jordan Eberle. Now, that scenario would involve everyone staying in their natural position, and we know that may not happen. Brouwer would slide down to the third line if Leon Draisaitl shifted over to the wing, which is possible.
In an ideal situation, Brouwer would be playing on a second or third line, so he fits in well with Edmonton. In St. Louis, he’s been playing on the team’s second line and he’s been producing quite a bit.
What Will He Cost?:
Brouwer is playing on a three year contract that carries a cap hit of $3,666,666 per season. In real dollars, Brouwer made $3,750,000 this past season with the Blues. On the free agent market, the 30 year old forward would almost certainly be getting a raise.
In my mind, a three year deal worth around $4,350,000 per season is the likely asking price. The term seems about right, at 30 he should be able to grind out three more years, but the money may just be too much.
Closing Argument:
The Edmonton Oilers need another heavy body in their lineup for 2016-17, and they need another right winger added to the roster. Adding Troy Brouwer takes care of both those issues in one swipe. In addition to that, the Oilers would be adding a respected veteran to the group and would be picking up another valuable right-shot forward.
If Peter Chiarelli goes to the free agent market for forward help this summer, then he should take a long and hard look at Troy Brouwer. Looking at the available options, he’s one of my favorite potential targets this summer. The things he does are sorely lacking in Edmonton and he would be a huge addition to this lineup.
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